Odds & Ends Recovery Support

11/30/2025

Your small wins are just as important as your big ones.

11/30/2025

Attention everyone: tonight’s guys group is cancelled due to the weather. Please stay safe and take extra care out there.
— Sincerely, Odds & Ends Recovery.

11/29/2025

There are all sorts of cool remedies out there guys! Please make medication a very last resort!

Sour candy can help stop a panic attack.

Mental health experts say that a burst of sour flavor can work as a grounding technique, pulling the brain out of spiraling thoughts and into the body’s immediate, physical sensations. When someone bites into a sour candy, the brain redirects attention to the overwhelming taste, which can short-circuit the cycle of panic.

This method taps into the idea of sensory grounding – using touch, sound, smell, sight, and taste to reorient the mind. With sour candy, it’s the taste doing the heavy lifting. That intense, tingly jolt demands full focus, helping someone stay connected to the present moment.

It’s not about mindlessly popping candy. The effect comes from savoring the flavor. Experts recommend noticing the sensation on your tongue, the smell, and how your body reacts. That awareness helps redirect your brain – away from panic, toward control.

Research cited by Utah State University and Health.com supports this idea, noting that it aligns with other grounding practices: holding ice, deep breathing, naming things around you, or even focusing on a scent. Sour candy is just one tool in a wider toolkit for managing anxiety in the moment.

Of course, this isn’t a cure. Sour candy can help interrupt a panic attack, but it won’t address the root cause. Ongoing or severe anxiety should always be evaluated by a mental health professional.

Still, in a high-stress moment – whether you’re on a plane, about to speak in public, or just overwhelmed – a single sour bite might be enough to snap your brain back to now.

Learn more:
“Sour Power: Can Candy Help Stave off Panic and Anxiety Attacks?” Utah State University Extension, 2024.

11/26/2025

Join us Saturday and Wednesday at Havana Hardee's @ 6 pm! 🫵🏽💪🏽🥲💜💚

The holidays are supposed to be warm, joyful, peaceful… but for a lot of folks dealing with mental-health struggles, addiction, or early recovery, this time of year can feel like a pressure cooker. Memories get louder, expectations get heavier, and being around people—or not being around people—can stir up a whole mix of emotions that don’t fit on a greeting card.

But that’s exactly where the power of camaraderie in a group setting shows up.

There’s something different about walking into a room where everyone actually gets it. You don’t have to explain why the holidays feel complicated. You don’t have to pretend you’re fine. You don’t have to hide the battle you’re fighting behind your ribs every day. In a group—whether it’s a support meeting, a recovery circle, or a handful of people just trying to stay sober and sane—you get to be real. Honest. Human.

And that kind of connection hits hardest during the holiday season.

People in recovery know how to offer support without judgment, humor without cruelty, honesty without shame. They know how to listen when someone says “I’m struggling,” because they’ve said it themselves. They know how to celebrate even the smallest victories—another day clean, another boundary held, another moment of choosing life over old habits. And sometimes that shared strength is what carries someone through the season when their own strength feels thin.

The holidays can bring up loneliness, grief, pressure, temptation, and old patterns. But they can also bring connection, healing, second chances, and the strange little miracle of sitting in a room with people who only met because life knocked them down in similar ways.

In a world full of noise, group camaraderie becomes a kind of refuge—a place where people can be reminded that they’re not broken, not alone, and not beyond hope. Especially this time of year.

11/19/2025

Today's thought! 🫂💜🙏🏽💚
On your journey, you are never alone. 💪🏽

11/18/2025

Please reach out!! We are here and very understanding of these situations. 🙏🏽🫂💜💚


https://www.verywellmind.com/stages-of-healing-after-narcissistic-abuse-5207997?fbclid=IwVERDUAOJtmhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR5WNPVaXLqTv_tmMEMBUIN5giW00I75EonxDYJWEw8WTcTN2QNyltdgYvdwXA_aem_LaQegvjtzvsbf97i7DSG4w

Recognizing narcissistic behavior and leaving a toxic relationship are the first steps toward healing from narcissistic abuse. Learn more about how to recover.

11/15/2025

Sober Friday check in! Sound off!
🙋🏽💚💜

11/11/2025

🚨 BOIL WATER ORDER IN EFFECT 🚨

11/10/2025

Helping Our Community Through the Cold Season🌬️❄️🥶🙏🏽

Hello everyone,

I’d like to take a moment to thank you for reading this message. Your time and attention mean a lot.

As many of you know, our community is facing some real challenges right now—especially with the current SNAP situation. Many people are struggling to stay warm and to keep food on the table. No one should have to face hunger or the cold alone.

We at Odds & Ends Recovery are doing everything we can to help. We’re collecting coats, gloves, blankets, socks, thermal underwear, hats, and non-perishable food items to share with those in need. If you are able to contribute—even in the smallest way—it would make a meaningful difference.

This isn’t just about money; it’s about compassion. A simple act of kindness can warm a body and a heart. You can donate items, spread the word, or simply encourage someone else to lend a hand. Every effort matters.

However, if you would like to make a monetary donation, you can do so through Cash App, PayPal, Venmo, Facebook Pay, or other payment platforms by sending to "Tag" $OddsandEndsRecovery.
Please note that this Cash App account is for business use and purposes only—you’ll see a suitcase icon beside the name indicating it’s a verified business account. It is properly registered and tax-compliant.

From my heart to yours, thank you for your time, generosity, and care for our community. Let’s continue to lift each other up—because when we help others, we strengthen our own recovery and our shared humanity.

Wishing you all a blessed and peaceful holiday season coming up and a joyful New Year.🫂💚💜

With gratitude and faith,
Chaplain C. Hunter
Odds & Ends Recovery🙏🏽

City of Havana Mason County Illinois Sheriff's Office Havana Police Department